Association of early perioperative stroke after cardiothoracic surgery with intraoperative regional cerebral oxygenation using near-infrared spectroscopy: an observational cohort study comparing affected versus non-affected hemispheres.

Purpose: Patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery are at risk of developing perioperative stroke, but residual effects of anesthesia may hamper timely detection. This study aims to determine if there is an association between intraoperative regional cerebral oxygenation (ScO) monitoring using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and the occurrence of early perioperative stroke within three days after cardiothoracic surgery.

Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective observational cohort study including all consecutive cardiothoracic surgery patients with routinely perioperative ScO monitoring admitted postoperatively to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) between 2008 and 2017.

The gut microbiome in end-stage lung disease and lung transplantation.

Gut dysbiosis has been associated with impaired outcomes in liver and kidney transplant recipients, but the gut microbiome of lung transplant recipients has not been extensively explored. We assessed the gut microbiome in 64 fecal samples from end-stage lung disease patients before transplantation and 219 samples from lung transplant recipients after transplantation using metagenomic sequencing. To identify dysbiotic microbial signatures, we analyzed 243 fecal samples from age-, sex-, and BMI-matched healthy controls.

Ex Vivo Optimization of Donor Lungs with Inhaled Sevoflurane during Normothermic Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion (VITALISE): A Pilot and Feasibility Study in Sheep.

Volatile anesthetics have been shown in different studies to reduce ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) facilitates graft evaluation, extends preservation time and potentially enables injury repair and improvement of lung quality. We hypothesized that ventilating lungs with sevoflurane during EVLP would reduce lung injury and improve lung function.

Effects of ketone body 3-hydroxybutyrate on cardiac and mitochondrial function during donation after circulatory death heart transplantation.

Normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) allows assessment of therapeutic interventions prior to donation after circulatory death transplantation. Sodium-3-hydroxybutyrate (3-OHB) increases cardiac output in heart failure patients and diminishes ischemia-reperfusion injury, presumably by improving mitochondrial metabolism. We investigated effects of 3-OHB on cardiac and mitochondrial function in transplanted hearts and in cardiac organoids.

Disparities in donor heart acceptance between the USA and Europe: clinical implications.

Background And Aims: Given limited evidence and lack of consensus on donor acceptance for heart transplant (HT), selection practices vary widely across HT centres in the USA. Similar variation likely exists on a broader scale-across countries and HT systems-but remains largely unexplored. This study characterized differences in heart donor populations and selection practices between the USA and Eurotransplant-a consortium of eight European countries-and their implications for system-wide outcomes.

Near-infrared spectroscopy and processed electroencephalogram monitoring for predicting peri-operative stroke risk in cardiothoracic surgery: An observational cohort study.

Background: Stroke is a feared complication after cardiothoracic surgery, with an incidence of around 2 to 3%. Anaesthesia and postoperative sedation may obscure clinical symptoms of stroke and thus delay diagnosis and timely intervention.

Objectives: The objective was to assess the value of intra-operative neuromonitoring and blood pressure monitoring for predicting the occurrence of peri-operative stroke within 3 days after cardiothoracic surgery.

Ex-situ oxygenated hypothermic machine perfusion in donation after circulatory death heart transplantation following either direct procurement or in-situ normothermic regional perfusion.

Background: Heart transplantation in donation after circulatory death (DCD) relies on warm perfusion using either in situ normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) or ex situ normothermic machine perfusion. In this study, we explore an alternative: oxygenated hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) using a novel clinically applicable perfusion system, which is compared to NRP with static cold storage (SCS).

Methods: In a porcine model, a DCD setting was simulated, followed by either (1) NRP and SCS (2) NRP and HMP with the XVIVO Heart preservation system or (3) direct procurement (DPP) and HMP.

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) 2022 Expert Consensus Document: The use of mechanical circulatory support in lung transplantation.

Objective: The use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in lung transplantation has been steadily increasing over the prior decade, with evolving strategies for incorporating support in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings. There is significant practice variability in the use of these techniques, however, and relatively limited data to help establish institutional protocols. The objective of the AATS Clinical Practice Standards Committee (CPSC) expert panel was to review the existing literature and establish recommendations about the use of MCS before, during, and after lung transplantation.

Is logistically motivated lung perfusion a good idea?

lung perfusion (EVLP) is a technique for reconditioning and evaluating lungs. However, the use of EVLP for logistical reasons is still under discussion. In this retrospective study, all EVLPs performed between July 2012 and October 2019 were analyzed for ventilation and perfusion data.

Clamping of the Aortic Arch Vessels During Normothermic Regional Perfusion Does Not Negatively Affect Donor Cardiac Function in Donation After Circulatory Death.

Background: The hemodynamic effects of aortic arch vessel (AAV) clamping during normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) in donation after circulatory death is unknown. We investigated effects of AAV clamping during NRP compared with no clamping in a porcine model.

Methods: In 16 pigs, hemodynamic parameters were recorded including biventricular pressure-volume measurements and invasive blood pressure.

Ventricular assist device implantation in a patient with systemic right ventricle and pectus excavatum.

Unlabelled: Systemic right ventricular failure is a common finding in patients with transposition of the great arteries. Some of these patients require ventricular assist device implantation. We describe the feasibility of HeartMate 3 [Abbott, Illinois, United States] implantation in a patient with transposition of the great arteries, high human leukocyte antigen sensitization, and severe pectus excavatum using a two-stage approach.

High torque tenovirus (TTV) load before first vaccine dose is associated with poor serological response to COVID-19 vaccination in lung transplant recipients.

Background: Serological responses to COVID-19 vaccination are diminished in recipients of solid organ transplants, especially in lung transplant recipients (LTR), probably as result of immunosuppressive treatment. There is currently no marker of immunosuppression that can be used to predict the COVID-19 vaccination response. Here, we study whether torque tenovirus (TTV), a highly prevalent virus can be used as an indicator of immunosuppression.

Conservative initial postoperative anticoagulation strategy after HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device implantation.

Introduction: Although anticoagulation therapy is mandated after implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), postoperative bleedings and reoperations occur relatively frequently and are associated with worse outcomes. We evaluated the use of a conservative postoperative anticoagulation protocol in patients implanted with a HeartMate 3 (HM3) LVAD.

Methods: In a single-centre retrospective analysis of postoperative outcomes after HM3 LVAD implantation, a standard (old) anticoagulation protocol (i.

Long-term outcome and bridging success of patients evaluated and bridged to lung transplantation on the ICU.

Background: Evaluating and bridging patients to lung transplantation (LTx) on the intensive care unit (ICU) remains controversial, especially without a previous waitlist status. Long term outcome data after LTx from ICU remains scarce. We compared long-term survival and development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) in elective and LTx from ICU, with or without previous waitlist status.

Clamping of the Aortic Arch Vessels During Normothermic Regional Perfusion After Circulatory Death Prevents the Return of Brain Activity in a Porcine Model.

Background: The cerebral effect of clamping following normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) in donation after circulatory death (DCD) remains unknown. We investigated the effect of cerebral reperfusion during NRP and the preventive effect of clamping on brain function in a porcine model.

Methods: In 16 pigs, intracranial physiological parameters were recorded, including pressure, cerebral blood perfusion (CBF), temperature, and oxygen.

Potential of Donation After Unexpected Circulatory Death Programs Defined by Their Demographic Characteristics.

Background: Donation after unexpected circulatory death (uDCD) donors are often suggested to increase the number of donor organs. In 2014, a uDCD protocol was implemented in three transplant centers in the Netherlands which unfortunately did not result in additional transplantations. This study was initiated to identify demographic factors influencing the potential success of uDCD programs.

A translational rat model for ex vivo lung perfusion of pre-injured lungs after brain death.

The process of brain death (BD) detrimentally affects donor lung quality. Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a technique originally designed to evaluate marginal donor lungs. Nowadays, its potential as a treatment platform to repair damaged donor lungs is increasingly studied in experimental models.

Oxygenated machine perfusion at room temperature as an alternative for static cold storage in porcine donor hearts.

Background: There is a continued interest in ex situ heart perfusion as an alternative strategy for donor heart preservation. We hypothesize that oxygenated machine perfusion of donor hearts at a temperature that avoids both normothermia and deep hypothermia offers adequate and safe preservation.

Methods: Cardioplegia-arrested porcine donor hearts were randomly assigned to six hours of preservation using cold storage (CS, n = 5) or machine perfusion using an oxygenated acellular perfusate at 21°C (MP, n = 5).

Machine Perfusion of Donation After Circulatory Death Liver and Lungs Before Combined Liver-lung Transplantation.

Shortage of deceased donor organs for transplantation has led to the increased use of organs from donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors. There are currently no reports describing outcomes after multiorgan transplantation with DCD livers. The use of DCD organs for multiorgan transplantation can be enhanced if the detrimental effects of prolonged cold ischemia and subsequent ischemia-reperfusion injury are overcome.